Ceramic and tourmaline hair appliances

ABSTRACT

A coating mixture is applied to a hair appliance such as a styling iron, a dryer, or a roller by being mixed with a paint or by other known deposition means, and includes a ceramic component and a tourmaline component. Preferably, the ceramic component contains one or more of Silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, Ferrous oxide, Natrium oxide, potassium oxide, Titanium oxide, Calcium oxide, and magnesium oxide. The tourmaline component comprises crushed tourmaline particles of a size and concentration generally known in the art. By applying both components, preferably in the form of a mixed paint, a surface on an appliance or accessory that is adapted to receive heat will emit ions and, due to the known characteristics of both ceramic and tourmaline, will retain and distribute heat efficiently and evenly.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to and derives priority from U.S.Provisional Patent Application 60/701,167 filed on Jul. 21, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to devices for styling hair including, butnot limited to, curling irons, flat irons, dryers and dryer attachments,rollers or curlers and, more particularly, to such devices that areprovided with ceramic material components and tourmaline materialcomponents that emit ions in concentrations that enhance or improve haircharacteristics.

2. Description of Related Art

It is known in the art that delivering ions or ionically chargedmolecules to a person's hair provides benefits including the removal ofundesirable static charge that naturally occurs in hair. Furthermore, itis believed that ions purify by removing particles present in theenvironment. Various hair care and hair styling implements exist such ashair dryers and heated brushes that comprise an ion generator that emitsions in response to electrical energy or heat. For example, known hairdryers and heat brushes contain a metallic node system that deliversions into the stream of flowing air within the dryer when voltage isapplied to the node. Other examples include hair driers that have aceramic radiator positioned adjacent to a heater such that heat appliedto the ceramic causes ions to emit and heat radiates from the ceramic.The use of ceramic coatings in flat irons for straightening hair, aswell as curling irons and other devices that contact the hair, iscommonly known to provide desirable heat distribution, heat retention,and heat transfer characteristics that evenly, efficiently andpredictably deliver heat to hair in comparison to non-coated metals.

Similarly, it is known to use certain minerals in a manner like thatdescribed above with respect to ceramic coatings. In particular, themineral tourmaline has known properties for producing ionically chargedmolecules and far infra red radiation when applied in such use with hairappliances as described above.

It has been observed, through testing of products and, particularly,measuring ion output using an ionic meter, that varying conditionsaffect the actual amount of ion output as well as the time it takes toproduce ion output and the temperature and airflow ranges at which ionoutput is optimal. Such factors include heat and airflow characteristicsof a dryer, heat characteristics of an iron in terms of both temperatureand time to reach a predetermined temperature, ambient temperature,ambient humidity, surface area of the surface or object being heated toemit ions, and other factors. It is therefore difficult to design aproduct for optimal performance since all performance-affecting factorsare not constant and cannot be anticipated in every case. Thus, onecannot determine if ceramic is best suited or if tourmaline is bestsuited for a particular product, particularly if the product has variousoperational settings. Known devices have a relatively narrow bandwidthof conditions in which optimal ion output is achieved.

OBJECTS AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ceramic-tourmalinemixed coating to any one of a variety of hair appliances or accessoriessuch that, under a wide variety of conditions including heatingcharacteristics of an appliance and surrounding temperature andhumidity, an optimal ionic discharge can be achieved.

These and other objects are achieved by the present invention.

According to the present invention, a coating mixture that can beapplied by being mixed with a paint or by other known deposition means,includes a ceramic component and a tourmaline component. Preferably, theceramic component contains one or more of Silicon oxide, aluminum oxide,Ferrous oxide, Natrium oxide, potassium oxide, Titanium oxide, Calciumoxide, and magnesium oxide. The tourmaline component comprises crushedtourmaline particles of a size and concentration generally known in theart. By applying both components, preferably in the form of a mixedpaint, a surface on an appliance or accessory that is adapted to receiveheat will emit ions and, due to the known characteristics of bothceramic and tourmaline, will retain and distribute heat efficiently andevenly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a process of forming a ceramic andtourmaline coating and applying it to a hair appliance in accordancewith the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a process of applying a coatingin accordance with the present invention. Reference numerals correspondto each step described. A coating mixture (10) is applied to a hairappliance (12) such as a styling iron, a dryer, or a roller by beingmixed with a paint (14) or by other known deposition means, and includesa ceramic component (16) and a tourmaline component (18). Preferably,the ceramic component (16) contains one or more of Silicon oxide,aluminum oxide, Ferrous oxide, Natrium oxide, potassium oxide, Titaniumoxide, Calcium oxide, and magnesium oxide. The tourmaline component (18)comprises crushed tourmaline particles of a size and concentrationgenerally known in the art. By applying both components, preferably inthe form of a mixed paint (10), a surface on an appliance (12) oraccessory that is adapted to receive heat will emit ions and, due to theknown characteristics of both ceramic and tourmaline, will retain anddistribute heat efficiently and evenly.

It is understood that the present invention is not in any way limited toany specific type of appliance or accessory for the hair and, thus, maybe implemented with both heated hair appliances and non-heatedappliances that are used in cooperation with heated appliances. Whilethe preferred embodiment contemplates mixing the ceramic and tourmalinecomponents with a paint to facilitate application, it is understood thatother means of depositing the two components may be implemented withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

1) A hair appliance comprising a heating surface; and a coating appliedto said heating surface, said coating comprising a ceramic component;and a tourmaline component. 2) A hair appliance according to claim 1,wherein said ceramic component comprises one or more substances selectedfrom the following: silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, ferrous oxide,natrium oxide, potassium oxide, titanium oxide, calcium oxide, andmagnesium oxide. 3) A hair appliance according to claim 2, wherein saidtourmaline component comprises crushed tourmaline particles. 4) Acoating for a heating surface on a hair appliance, said coatingcomprising a ceramic component; and a tourmaline component. 5) A hairappliance according to claim 4, wherein said ceramic component comprisesone or more substances selected from the following: silicon oxide,aluminum oxide, ferrous oxide, natrium oxide, potassium oxide, titaniumoxide, calcium oxide, and magnesium oxide. 6) A hair appliance accordingto claim 5, wherein said tourmaline component comprises crushedtourmaline particles.